Harriet Willes’ Ball

Dearest Gentle Reader… You are cordially invited to Harriet Willes’ Ball.
Miss Harriet Willes invites you to attend an afternoon of her favourite dances, as documented in her own hand.

Event part of Chippenham Folk Festival, in partnership with Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre.
No experience necessary. All dances taught on the day.

Dress up regency style, as your favourite Jane Austen or Bridgerton character, or come as you are.

Harriet Willes was the sister of the vicar of the village of Christian Malford in the 1790s, and collected tunes and dances in her musical scrapbooks, now held in the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre.
She probably knew Jane Austen.
A project, “Music.Heritage.Place.”, unearthed her collection in 2024, and this ball will have tunes and dances unplayed for more than 200 years.